Cade

by Penny Rose

  “Five rounds?” someone said behind him. “What are they playing at?”

  Most of the specialized weapons were taken by the time Cade reached the center, so he had a sword and Arc had a spear. Cade glanced at Arc and caught him shuddering as the giant centipede was released. The monster was so big that half of the gladiators could probably fit on its back.

  “Good luck, Arc.”

  The centipede moved in a terrifying fashion. The way its many legs moved in unison was the stuff of nightmares, and it rushed the gladiators with its massive pincers while thrashing its stinger-tipped tail. Three gladiators died within minutes. Everyone cut and stabbed at its legs, but it had so many that cutting off a few did very little to slow it down.

  It snatched another gladiator in its pincers, and Cade slashed his sword across its legs as it ran past. He cleaved several, and the centipede’s body dragged across the sandy floor. The centipede curled up and roared at Cade. Arc launched himself into the air and buried his spear into the creature’s brain. It collapsed to the ground just as another tunnel emptied a pack of large wolf-creatures into the arena. They foamed at the mouth as they charged in Cade’s direction. As they got closer, Cade realized they had large spikes protruding from their backs, making them even more dangerous.

  The wolves worked together, hunting in packs of three and making it more difficult to take them down. Cade watched as one man’s throat was ripped out. He and Arc rushed toward the wolves as they feasted on the dying man’s body. He plunged his sword into the wolf’s neck, killing it instantly. Arc took out another with his spear. The third leapt at Cade, and he managed to block the bite with his sword at the last second. He held the flattened end against the beast’s neck as it snarled and snapped at him. Hot breath assaulted Cade’s face before Arc plunged his spear through the wolf’s neck, spilling dark red blood across Cade’s chest.

  Before Cade even had time to catch his breath, a group of deadly wasps were released. They zoomed across the arena like a dozen angry drones.

  The wasps were more difficult, because they could fly out of range. Their stingers were deadly, and more than one fighter caught one in the back as they tried to run. Some of the men swatted wildly in their panic. It was like the wasps could smell their fear, and they were relentless.

  Cade watched helplessly as one of the wasps imbedded its stinger into another gladiator’s stomach. The deadly venom killed the man almost instantly. Men were dying all around him, and he felt helpless to stop it. A second centipede entered the arena, and Cade was certain that no one was going to survive the fight.

  There was a loud screech and then beams of hot energy cut across the arena floor. Special drones flew overhead, shooting laser beams into the arena and leaving a burning trail everywhere they traveled. The beams didn’t seem to be targeting anyone in particular, just moving in a wild pattern. The centipede lost the bottom third of its body to a laser beam. A downed gladiator was severed in two.

  Cade was careful to avoid the beams. He watched them, trying to understand if they were truly moving randomly or in a hard-to-define pattern.

  There was so much devastation all around him. The arena was a seemingly endless bloodbath. Cade dodged one of the energy beams and as it trailed away, he took the time to watch it. He started to see how the pattern repeated itself and he thought he might be able to take advantage of it. He looked around the arena at what was left of the gladiators. If they would listen, he could help them survive.

  “Watch the pattern, men. It repeats itself. If we can lure the monsters in the way, we can kill them.”

  Arc let out a maniacal laugh. “Now, that’s what I’m talking about. You’re a genius!”

  Cade called out the movements of the beams, instructing those who were in their path to move. It was difficult to avoid the lasers and fight the monsters, so he started to instruct them to move to strategic points that placed the monsters in the line of fire. One of the beams severed a wasp’s wings, and it was easy work once it fell. Cade took on the role of leader, and the remaining gladiators looked to him for instruction. He moved them strategically around the arena until the last monster fell.

  There were shouts of victory all around, and Cade looked to the balcony where Eldredth sat. She smiled at him, and he smiled back. His joy vanished when he saw Prinzton’s angry face standing behind her. He was furious, and Cade knew why. He was pissed that all the men had worked together to survive.

  The healers entered the arena to tend to the severely wounded. The rest of them would be healed in the barracks. Cade, Arc, and the other survivors headed back to get some rest before the next fight. Cade had a few wounds that he needed healing, but most importantly, he was exhausted and just needed to be refreshed. He passed Rux’hm and Akima as they were being escorted to the arena for the next event. They nodded to him as they passed.

  Cade lay in his bed resting. He was surprised when someone knocked on his door. Eldredth entered, wearing a smile.

  “What are you doing here? I thought you weren’t allowed to heal me any longer?”

  “I don’t care. I want to be the one to heal you.” There were a few other healers in the barracks, and Eldredth looked around nervously. She might be acting tough, but Cade could tell she was a bundle of nerves. He knew how she felt. They had come so far already, and it still felt like everything could be ripped apart. Their lives were hanging by a thread, and it could change any minute. Everything could change.

  “Let me heal you, Cade.”

  He nodded and she placed her hands on him. The warmth emanated through his chest as electricity filled his body. He took a deep breath. Being with her was everything, and it didn’t matter what he had to face. He was okay if she was there to face it with him. He felt everything for her and the fact that she was there with him made it all bearable.

  ****

  Prinzton spotted Aira and stopped her. “Where the hell is Eldredth?”

  Aira looked afraid as he grasped her arm. “Sir, she’s healing Cade.”

  “Cade?” He shook his head. “How dare she!”

  He let go of Aira, and she hurried off. Eldredth was going to drive him mad. She should not have gone against his wishes. He told her to stay away from Cade, and she had disobeyed him. He knew he had to get rid of that man once and for all so that he could have her all to himself. What did a barbarian offer her that he couldn’t? The man was like a cockroach—unkillable—but not for long. Prinzton clenched his fist. The thought of Eldredth healing him grew an anger inside him like no other.

  Chapter Eleven

  Eldredth wore a long, flowing, purple gown. It was covered in sequins and glittered in the light. For the final challenge, everyone wore their finest, even the healers. She was back up on the balcony only half-watching the one-on-one fights as she waited for the final battle to begin. Her heart felt full as she thought about her time with Cade. They were so close to getting everything they wanted. One challenge away. She wasn’t sure how it was all going to play out, but she believed in Cade. She wanted it to go their way, but she knew nothing was certain in the arena. Cade was up against creatures that most people had nightmares about. His life was on the line every day. And Prinzton hadn’t let up one bit. She feared that Cade would die before they could escape. He was a fierce warrior, but he was up against odds that not everyone could handle.

  She sat next to the other healers, who were also dressed up for the event. She noticed Prinzton approaching her from the side, but she didn’t flinch or let on that she knew he was behind her. He hovered around her all the time. She was there with Maizon’s team, not his, but Maizon always seemed to have other things on his mind. She wished that Maizon would tell him to back off, but his eyes were on the fights.

  She could feel Prinzton’s gaze lingering on her. For someone who had so much invested in the arena, he hardly looked away from her. Was it being unable to have her that made him so crazy? A man of wealth and power who couldn’t have someone so insignificant as a healer? Th
e hair on the back of her neck stood up. He wasn’t just annoying; he was terrifying because he was capable of such evil. She didn’t want him anywhere near her.

  As she stood there, he leaned over and whispered in her ear. It sent chills down her spine. “When my gladiator wins, he is going to request that you come to work for my house.”

  She gasped as her heart jumped to her throat. She didn’t respond, sitting there in terror as she thought of going to work in his home. That would be a fate worse than death. The worst thing that could ever happen to her. She couldn’t even imagine it, it was so horrible to comprehend.

  Her heart filled with fear as she watched Prinzton’s gladiator win his one-on-one fight. The four-armed man, Arzul, would be moving on. Her future was solely in Cade’s hands now, and she hoped that he knew what he was doing.

  “As soon as Cade is dead, you will be mine, like it or not.”

  She turned to him and sneered. He disgusted her in every way. She imagined him forcing her to work for him and forcing her to be with him. It was terrifying and she wanted no part of it. She stood up from her seat and spat in his face. He practically growled as he slapped her, the force snapping her head to the side. He always knew just how to hit her to make it feel like her head was going to explode.

  He looked up and realized that there was a camera zeroed right in on him, recording the slap. Everyone in the stands was watching. He turned from her and left the balcony immediately. She stared after him, hating him more than ever.

  Maizon stormed over. “What is the meaning of this?”

  “It’s…nothing,” Eldredth whispered.

  “It didn’t look like nothing to me.” Maizon disappeared after Prinzton.

  Aira and Marismith came over to Eldredth. “Are you okay?”

  Eldredth turned to them with tears in her eyes, but she wasn’t hurt or upset. She was furious. All she could think about was what he would do to Cade next. She’d lost her cool, and Cade would be the one who paid the price. If Cade didn’t survive this, she would be in a lot of trouble. She needed him now more than ever, and she hoped he would be able to save them both. A lot of responsibility was on his shoulders, but she knew he was strong enough to handle it. She didn’t know what was going to happen to her if Cade died. She would be lost forever, and she didn’t think that she could survive it. She knew she would rather be dead than be a prisoner in Prinzton’s home.

  She faced Aira. “I will kill him.”

  “What? What are you talking about?”

  “I will not work for that man. I would rather be put to death than go to his bed.” Her nails cut into her palms as she clenched her fists.

  “Eldredth, don’t talk like that. Someone will hear you,” Aira warned.

  “I’m serious. If Cade loses, I’m killing Prinzton.” Eldredth knew that he was serious about taking her, and she was even more serious about killing him if it came down to it. He didn’t care about her. He would enjoy seeing Cade killed, and he would enjoy seeing her suffer over his death. He would get off on the fact that her true love, her soulmate, was dead and he could have her all to himself.

  “I will kill him, I swear.” She sat back down to wait for the final battle.

  Chapter Twelve

  For the final fight, everyone in the stands cast a vote for the challengers they wanted to see. When the votes were cast, Cade was the winner by a landslide, followed by Prinzton’s gladiator, Arzul. Arzul was a powerful, four-armed gladiator from the same planet that Cade’s trainer Zax was from. Cade had watched Arzul from a distance and he was a skilled fighter. It would not be an easy fight. He couldn’t help but wonder what tricks Prinzton had up his sleeves for this.

  Cade waited in one of the tunnels for his name to be called. He closed his eyes, taking a few deep breaths. Someone called to him from behind, and he turned to see Maizon and a pair of guards. One of the guards carried something large covered with a black cloth.

  “I have a gift for you. I purchased it along with you at the slave auction. You have brought me riches beyond anything I could have dreamed of.” Maizon smiled. “Who would have ever thought that a gladiator from House Maizon would be fighting in the finals for all of Pendoria.” He removed the cloth, revealing the warhammer Cade thought he had lost to the mercenaries. “This is for you. Now, go and win your freedom.”

  Cade didn’t know what to say. Maizon had been a hard man since the first day he had met him, and now he was giving Cade a gift. And not just any gift, but a weapon from his home planet. An heirloom of the great warriors of his family.

  “Thank you.” He nodded to Maizon and lifted the hammer. Its grip was icy in his palm, but he felt the same connection to the weapon he always had. It was said that the Kondorians left a piece of themselves in every weapon they wielded. He felt the power of his forefathers in this.

  Maizon gripped Cade’s shoulder briefly before leaving.

  For Cade, it was simple. Win, and he would get everything he wanted. Fail, and lose everything. He tuned out the crowd and the announcers as he prepared for the biggest fight of his life. He searched the balcony for Eldredth and found her wearing a beautiful purple gown. She looked like royalty sitting up there. To him, she was royalty, and he would do everything in his power to give her a life she could be proud of.

  A horn blared, and the fight was underway. Arzul charged Cade, slashing two swords at him. One of the obvious advantages Arzul had over Cade was that his multiple limbs meant he could wield multiple weapons and shields. For this fight, he used two swords and two shields. Cade dodged the attacks and parried the ones that he couldn’t with the head of his warhammer, but every time he went on the offensive, he was met with a sword or shield. This would not be a simple fight, but he had hardly expected it to be.

  Arzul was big and strong, but he was also slow. Unfortunately for Cade, the warhammer, while powerful, was also a cumbersome weapon. He wouldn’t be relying on his speed for this battle, he would have to use his mind. With this being the final battle, he had not just his opponent to worry about but an arena full of obstacles. They fought around fire, pits, and spikes.

  Cade felt like all he was doing was swinging and dodging. Arzul blocked every attack, but his shields were taking a beating. Cade felt his arms tiring, but he wasn’t making any headway.

  Arzul launched another flurry of attacks. Cade sidestepped and spun to follow up with a powerful blow. Arzul turned at an odd angle but managed to lift his shield. The warhammer connected and knocked the shield out of Arzul’s hand, sending it into one of the spiked pits. One less shield evened them out a little bit. Cade was starting to hold his own. Arzul was retreating when Cade landed a blow to his ribcage. The four-armed man stumbled to the ground, grimacing.

  Cade lifted the warhammer over his head for the killing blow as Arzul lunged at him. Cade swung with all his might, but Arzul dodged at the last moment, leaving Cade swiping at air. As the force of the swing sent Cade pivoting, Arzul nicked Cade’s thigh.

  The four-armed man laughed as he rolled out of the way. The cut was minor, barely even drawing a trickle of blood, but Cade knew immediately that something was wrong. The warhammer slipped in his grip, and he felt dizzy. Suddenly, the world tilted, and stars streaked across his vision. Cade drooped his shoulders and shook his head, trying to regain his composure. Something was wrong. He was having a hard time focusing. Arzul shifted between one and three people as he crawled to his feet.

  Cade tried to speak, but he couldn’t. He’d been poisoned. There must have been something on Arzul’s blade. After a moment, the dizziness faded, and Cade could focus again. If such a little cut had made him dizzy, then something more would be the death of him. He would have to avoid that blade at all costs or lose Eldredth forever.

  “Nice try.” Cade shook his head as the poison wore itself off.

  He was grateful to be okay again, but he knew that he couldn’t take another cut, however minor. He had to find a way to win without taking any damage. He glanced up at the balcony
and made eye contact with Eldredth, reminding himself that he wasn’t just fighting for himself but for her as well. He couldn’t let her down.

  “Good to know it works.” Arzul smirked. “Next time, I doubt you’ll get up.”

  Cade knew he was right, so he couldn’t let that happen. Arzul was big and strong, and Cade needed to use that against him. The best thing Cade could do was wear Arzul down. He couldn’t allow himself to get hit, so he decided to use his footwork to his advantage. Cade tossed his warhammer aside and took a few steps back. He would win without a weapon.

  He moved continuously as Arzul swung again and again. Arzul had tasted blood and was dying for more, but without the warhammer to slow him down, Cade was too shifty. Arzul swung his dual swords violently. Sweat beaded down his forehead. Arzul slashed at Cade, and Cade ducked out of the way. As he rolled past Arzul, he punched him in the ribs—the same spot the warhammer had struck earlier. Arzul gasped for breath and grimaced in pain.

  Arzul stood, tossing his shield to the side. He was going all in with his swords. He ran at Cade, but Cade stepped to the side. He struggled for breath with each attack. Whenever an opportunity presented itself, Cade would punch Arzul in the side. He was wearing him down, slowly and painfully. Cade waited for the perfect opportunity, and when Arzul raised both swords to attack, he lunged at Arzul like a Kondorian spear, planting his entire weight into his shoulder as he collided with Arzul’s ribs. The four-armed man dropped his weapons as he fell to the ground. He lay there, gasping for air, but he didn’t get up. His chest heaved. Cade stood over the gladiator to make sure that he would not get up again. Arzul was finished.

  Cade’s heart leapt. He’d done it. He’d won the tournament. He turned and faced the emperor, waiting for the judgment to be declared.

  Cade locked eyes with Eldredth just as a searing pain shot up his leg. He screamed in agony. Arzul had stabbed him in the leg with the poisoned blade. Cade’s world blurred and dizziness took over. He should have killed Arzul when he had the chance. Blood poured from the wound, painting the sand red.